Washington: Weeks after China conducted a
flight test of its new J-20 stealth fighter, a US federal
court was on Monday set to sentence Indian-American Noshir
Gowadia, a former engineer of B-2 stealth bomber, who has been
convicted of selling military secrets to Beijing.
In August last year, Mumbai-born Gowadia, 66, was
convicted on 14 counts on charges, including conspiracy,
communicating national defense, violating the arms export
control act and information to aid a foreign nation.
He now faces life sentence.
Between 2003 and 2005 Gowadia made six secret trips
into mainland China and exchanged numerous communications to
help Chinese defense engineers design a cruise missile that is
able to evade air-to-air, heat-seeking missiles, according the
federal indictment against him.
According to court papers, Gowadia hid the proceeds
from the transactions by directing the payments to secret
Swiss bank accounts of foundations he set up in Liechtenstein,
the government said in recently filed court documents.
Prosecutors alleged that Gowadia helped design an
exhaust nozzle for China that gives off less heat, making it
difficult for enemy infrared detectors to track the missile
for which he got USD 110,000 over two years.
Gowadia worked for Northrup from 1968 to 1986, during
which time he helped develop the B-2 bomber`s unique
propulsion system.
After his employment with Northrup ended, Gowadia
continued his relationship with the US military as a private
contractor.
However, following some angry dealings with the Air
Force and the Los Alamos National Laboratory in 1993, Gowadia
began to seek and solicit business internationally, the
government said.
PTI
